第21章

There was less litter within than she had found without and what there was was mostly an accumulation of dust.Beside the doorway was the niche in which wood and tinder were kept, but there remained nothing now other than mere dust.She had however saved a little pile of twigs from the debris on the porch.In a short time she had made a light by firing a bundle of twigs and lighting others from this fire she explored some of the inner rooms.Nor here did she find aught that was new or strange nor any relic of the departed owners other than a few broken stone dishes.She had been looking for something soft to sleep upon, but was doomed to disappointment as the former owners had evidently made a leisurely departure, carrying all their belongings with them.Below, in the gorge were leaves and grasses and fragrant branches, but Pan-at-lee felt no stomach for descending into that horrid abyss for the gratification of mere creature comfort--only the necessity for food would drive her there.

And so, as the shadows lengthened and night approached she prepared to make as comfortable a bed as she could by gathering the dust of ages into a little pile and spreading it between her soft body and the hard floor--at best it was only better than nothing.But Pan-at-lee was very tired.She had not slept since two nights before and in the interval she had experienced many dangers and hardships.What wonder then that despite the hard bed, she was asleep almost immediately she had composed herself for rest.

She slept and the moon rose, casting its silver light upon the cliff's white face and lessening the gloom of the dark forest and the dismal gorge.In the distance a lion roared.There was a long silence.From the upper reaches of the gorge came a deep bellow.

There was a movement in the trees at the cliff's foot.Again the bellow, low and ominous.It was answered from below the deserted village.Something dropped from the foliage of a tree directly below the cave in which Pan-at-lee slept--it dropped to the ground among the dense shadows.Now it moved, cautiously.It moved toward the foot of the cliff, taking form and shape in the moonlight.It moved like the creature of a bad dream--slowly, sluggishly.It might have been a huge sloth--it might have been a man, with so grotesque a brush does the moon paint--master cubist.

Slowly it moved up the face of the cliff--like a great grubworm it moved, but now the moon-brush touched it again and it had hands and feet and with them it clung to the stone pegs and raised itself laboriously aloft toward the cave where Pan-at-lee slept.From the lower reaches of the gorge came again the sound of bellowing, and it was answered from above the village.

Tarzan of the Apes opened his eyes.He was conscious of a pain in his head, and at first that was about all.A moment later grotesque shadows, rising and falling, focused his arousing perceptions.Presently he saw that he was in a cave.A dozen Waz-don warriors squatted about, talking.A rude stone cresset containing burning oil lighted the interior and as the flame rose and fell the exaggerated shadows of the warriors danced upon the walls behind them.

"We brought him to you alive, Gund," he heard one of them saying, "because never before was Ho-don like him seen.He has no tail--he was born without one, for there is no scar to mark where a tail had been cut off.The thumbs upon his hands and feet are unlike those of the races of Pal-ul-don.He is more powerful than many men put together and he attacks with the fearlessness of ja.

We brought him alive, that you might see him before he is slain."

The chief rose and approached the ape-man, who closed his eyes and feigned unconsciousness.He felt hairy hands upon him as he was turned over, none too gently.The gund examined him from head to foot, making comments, especially upon the shape and size of his thumbs and great toes.

"With these and with no tail," he said, "it cannot climb."

"No," agreed one of the warriors, "it would surely fall even from the cliff pegs."

"I have never seen a thing like it," said the chief."It is neither Waz-don nor Ho-don.I wonder from whence it came and what it is called."

"The Kor-ul-ja shouted aloud, 'Tarzan-jad-guru!' and we thought that they might be calling this one," said a warrior."Shall we kill it now?"

"No," replied the chief, "we will wait until it's life returns into its head that I may question it.Remain here, In-tan, and watch it.When it can again hear and speak call me."

He turned and departed from the cave, the others, except In-tan, following him.As they moved past him and out of the chamber Tarzan caught snatches of their conversation which indicated that the Kor-ul-ja reinforcements had fallen upon their little party in great numbers and driven them away.Evidently the swift feet of Id-an had saved the day for the warriors of Om-at.The ape-man smiled, then he partially opened an eye and cast it upon In-tan.

The warrior stood at the entrance to the cave looking out--his back was toward his prisoner.Tarzan tested the bonds that secured his wrists.They seemed none too stout and they had tied his hands in front of him! Evidence indeed that the Waz-don took few prisoners--if any.